Our History

MCDONOGH TODAY: PREPARED FOR THE UNEXPECTED

Moderator: Kevin Costa, Director of Innovation and Learning
Panelists: Teachers Cynthia Cox, Mickey Deegan, Nancy Fleury, Rob Smoot, and George Webb

Since its inception in 2014, LifeReady has provided a “North Star” orienting McDonogh’s approach to teaching and learning. In this session, a panel of teachers share how LifeReady has influenced their practice, and they share their thoughts about what’s in store for McDonogh’s academic program in the future.

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THE 2010S: FINDING A BALANCE

Moderator: Carol Croxton, Director of Alumni Engagement
Historian: John Wood, Upper School History and Social Studies Teacher
Panelists: Jack Angel '18, Kimmy Hilson Carmichael '10, Dennis Chen '11, Alysa Delgado Misfeldt '12, and Ellis McKennie '15

Realizing the long-range goals of the Campus Master Plan to create large communal spaces and make the center of campus free of traffic, the School saw a dramatic change with the addition of the Naylor Building (2013), The Edward St. John Student Center (2013), and the Rosenberg Campus Green (2014). Charlie Britton, who cultivated a balance between tradition and progress during his tenure, turned over the reins to Dave Farace ’87 in 2018. 

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THE 2000S: EMBRACING CHANGE

Moderator: Carol Croxton, Director of Alumni Engagement
Historian: Jessica Levy '04, Assistant Professor of History at Purchase College, SUNY
Panelists: Lexy Apostolou ’01, Greg Bernstein ’07, Tory Klein Hoffberger ’09, Malcolm Moses-Hampton ’08, and Farah Qureshi Nur ’04

The unveiling of McDonogh’s website in 2001 launched the School into a decade of adapting to evolving technology, embracing change in leadership, and confronting the challenges of economic volatility. 

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THE 1990S: COMMITMENT TO THE 21ST CENTURY

Moderator: Louis Hyman '95, The Dorothy Ross Professor of History at Johns Hopkins University
Panelists: David Holland '90, Kaylie Kassap George '94, Grace Jackson '95, Bryan Billig '97, and Jazmine Eldridge '99

The 1990s were marked by the introduction of kindergarten, the construction of the Rollins-Luetkemeyer Athletic Center and Clarence Burke Center for the Arts, and the School's 125th anniversary. 

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THE 1980S: AN ERA OF OPPORTUNITY

Moderator: Carol Croxton, Director of Alumni Engagement
Historian: Jessica Levy '04, Assistant Professor of History at Purchase College, SUNY
Panelists: Terry Booker ‘82, Alberto Diaz ‘89, Anna Dopkin ‘85, John Hung ‘84, and Aliya Qureshi Poshni ‘89

The 1980s saw the evolution of arts programming, athletic opportunities, divisional rituals such as closing ceremonies, and an intentional focus on the academic and emotional needs specific to students in each division. 

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THE 1970S: TIMES OF TRANSITION

Moderator: Carol Croxton, Director of Alumni Engagement
Historian: Louis Hyman ’95, Professor and Director, Institute for Workplace Studies at Cornell University
Panelists: Wally Boston '72, Bethel Henry '78, LeRoy Katz '76, Ginger Kurapka Keener '77, and Norman Parker '73

The dawn of this decade saw the height of anti-Vietnam War protests — epitomized by the 1970 Kent State massacre — that presaged McDonogh’s dropping of its semi-military tradition in 1971. McDonogh became fully integrated in 1970, and the first Black graduate walked across Childs Memorial Terrace. The economic challenges of the time helped fuel an equally major shift to coeducation in 1975. 

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THE 1950S AND 1960S: PROSPERITY AND PROTEST

Moderator: Carol Croxton, Director of Alumni Engagement
Historian: Ane Lintvedt, McDonogh Upper School History and Social Studies Teacher
Panelists: John Beever '50, Hank Chiles '56, John Sieverts '63, Mike Koppisch '60, and Tim Wright '66

The early 1950s witnessed the continuance of the Lamborn legacy as Doc Lamborn—the architect of McDonogh’s survival during The Depression and World War II—yielded his office to his son, Bob, who revamped the School’s academic program that would eventually eclipse the farm program. In the 1960s, the war in Vietnam could not muster the national unity achieved by World War II. The heroic image of the American military eroded as did the perception of the uniform on McDonogh’s campus and in the community. Also during this time, the first Black student was admitted to McDonogh under a plan of gradual integration. 

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DANCE PERFORMANCE BY NILE RUSSELL '00, NAANA BADU '00 AND JENN FORD '00

Using historical research as inspiration, Nile Russell ’00 and his collaborators, Naana Badu '00 and Jenn Ford '00, composed and performed a dance piece that explores several complementary concepts and themes. His work highlights the dichotomy and complexity of McDonogh (the person and the School), the importance of creating greatness in difficult times, and a forward vision of the McDonogh community’s future. 

Watch the performance.

THE MEMORIAL TO THOSE ENSLAVED AND FREED

Planning for a memorial to recognize and honor the enslaved peoples of John McDonogh was in the works for nearly two decades.  During this session, lead artist Oletha DeVane and artistic historical consultants Dr. Leslie King-Hammond and Dr. Lowery Sims discuss the evolution and meaning behind The Memorial to Those Enslaved and Freed.  

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NEW UNDERSTANDING OF AMERICAN SLAVERY AND JOHN MCDONOGH

Historians Ken Lipartito, Ph.D. and Patricia A. Watson, Ph.D., the researchers and authors of Becoming McDonogh School, discuss slavery and the slave trade in the United States, Baltimore, and New Orleans, as well as John McDonogh's association with it. They also explain how other institutions with connections to slavery have analyzed and expressed their own pasts.

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HISTORY AND THE INCLUSION OF NEW VOICES

Nadine Knight ’95, Associate Professor of English and Director of the Center for Interdisciplinary Studies at College of the Holy Cross; Jessica Levy ’04, Assistant Professor of History at Purchase College, SUNY; and Upper School history teacher John Wood provide an overview of how history is understood and communicated and how various institutions and their disciplines have evolved in their understanding of the stories they tell about people who have been overlooked.

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GALLERY EXHIBIT FEATURING ARTIST AKEA BRIONNE

Artist Akea Brionne is a photographer, writer, curator, and researcher whose personal work investigates the implications of historical racial and social structures in relation to the development of contemporary black life and identity within America.  A collection of Akea’s photographs was displayed in the Tuttle Gallery from November 15 through December 15, 2021.

Learn more about the exhibit from the artist.